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Students in all grade levels participate in higher level math problem solving
activities. Sometimes students practice computation based games such as
Krypto, Math Path and Calc. Other times students participate in group
investigations and independent problem solving. Students in grades 4 and 5
use the four step problem solving method. This method connects very well
with the Investigations program. Here are the four steps.
1. Find Out: What is the problem asking you to find out? Which information in the problem is important
and which is unimportant?
2. Choose a strategy: Devise your plan. Here you can brainstorm many ways to solve the problem
and choose the one you think will work best. Diagram, picture, chart, look for a pattern,
mathematical thinking, guess and check, logical thinking, work backwards, make it simpler,
act it out, and more.
3. Solve It: : Carry out your plan. Show your work. Use
charts, graphs, numbers, equations and/or words.
Label your work. Show a detailed answer to the question.
4. Look Back:
(Use some of these questions to help you think about your thinking.)
a. Explain how the problem can be connected to a real life situation.
b. Explain how this problem is similar to another problem.
c. Show how you checked your work.
d. Explain an alternative method to solve this problem.
e. Explain why your answer is reasonable. (Estimation)
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